Chris Hedges – The Empire Strikes Back

A decade ago left-wing governments, defying Washington and global corporations, took power in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Venezuela, Uruguay, Bolivia and Ecuador. It seemed as if the tide in Latin America was turning. The interference by Washington and exploitation by international corporations might finally be defeated. Latin American governments, headed by charismatic leaders such as Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Luiz Inácio …

James McEnteer – The Geopolitics of Generosity

On April 16, Ecuador suffered an earthquake registering 7.8 on the Richter scale. One week later, the death toll stood at 656, with more than twelve thousand injuries reported and more than fifty people still missing. Hundreds of aftershocks, some very powerful, continue to shake the country’s northwest coast and cause more damage. The day after the disaster, aid began …

Expat Files – 04.22.16

#1 –WHAT CAN THIS BE ABOUT? WE HAVE TWO SOCIALIST LATIN PRESIDENTS, EVO MORALES(BOLIVA)AND RAFAEL CORREA (EQUADOR), ENDORSING BERNIE SANDERS FOR PRESIDENT! SINCE WHEN DO HEADS OF STATE ENDORSE FOREIGN CANDIDATES?

#2 – A NEW CALIFORNIA LAW ALLOWS MILLIONS OF ILLEGALS TO GET DRIVER’S LICENCES…AND BECOME REGISTERED CALIFORNIA VOTERS AT THE SAME TIME. MEANWHILE, DOWN IN THE LATIN AMERICAN HEARTLAND, WORD OF THIS AMAZING OPTION IS SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE. RESULT: GOV. JERRY BROWN IS SUDDENLY A LATIN FOLK HERO.

#3 –TIPS ON CARRYING GOLD/SILVER COINS AND BULLION ACROSS LATIN BORDERS

#4-TIPS ON BUYING GOLD AND SILVER IN LATIN AMERICA AND WHAT KINDS OF METALS YOU AND YOUR COIN/BULLION DEALER MUST REPORT TO THE IRS (OR NOT)

#5-TIPS ON HOW TO USE YOUR LATIN LAWYER TO MAKE ANONYMOUS PURCHASES FOR YOU (AND MORE)

#6-BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE “EXPAT FILES” YOU TUBE CHANNEL: become a subscriber (it’s free!)

#7- CONSULT WITH JOHNNY- SCHEDULE A CELL OR SKYPE CALL: Would you like to set up a time to talk and sort out your own specific Latin American plans? Just write “CONSULT” in the subject line with a short list of questions/talking points to: theexpatfiles@gmail.com

#8- VISIT ME JOHNNY(AND EXPAT SUPER BLOGGER JOHN GALT) at www.TheNewExpat.com where you get real “boots on the ground” info, experienced expat blogs and terrific one-of-kind reports.

Sarah Lazare – Another Indigenous Activist Is Assassinated, Urging Calls for Clinton to Come Clean on Role in Honduran Coup

The early March assassination of Honduran social movement leader Berta Cáceres provoked international outcry, and calls for 2016 presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton to discuss her support of the country’s 2009 coup, which ousted democratically elected president Manuel Zelaya and escalated the violent repression of human rights defenders. Now, just days after the Clinton campaign dismissed [3] these demands for accountability as “simply nonsense,” …

Ellen Brown – Reinventing Banking: From Russia to Iceland to Ecuador

Global developments in finance and geopolitics are prompting a rethinking of the structure of banking and of the nature of money itself. Among other interesting news items: In Russia, vulnerability to Western sanctions has led to proposals for a banking system that is not only independent of the West but is based on different design principles. In Iceland, the booms …

The Restructuring, Audit, Suspension and Abolition of the Debt By Eric Toussaint and Maud Bailly

Eric Toussaint is a historian and political scientist who holds a Ph.D. from the universities of Paris VIII and Liège. He is the Spokesman for CADTM International (www.cadtm.org) where he has been active for many years in the struggles for the abolition of the debts of the Southern countries and the illegitimate debts of the Northern countries. He was member …

Ecuadorean Dark Forces Behind Attempted Coup Plot By Stephen Lendman

Washington’s dirty hands manipulate geopolitical events worldwide – notably in Latin America since the 19th century. In September 2010, Washington’s attempted coup against Ecuadorean President Raphael Correa failed. A previous article asked is history repeating now? Days of street protests continue over the phony pretext of inheritance and capital gains tax increases affecting only wealthy citizens – about 2% of the population. …

Behind the White House’s Sanctions Against Venezuela

Since the Obama administration decided last week to impose new sanctions on Venezuela, many people, including journalists, have inquired as to what motivated them to do this. Some are curious as to the apparent incongruity between this move and the White House decision in December to begin the process of normalizing relations with Cuba. Others are wondering why the administration would do something that so obviously …